KEY POINTS:
Just because we don't have any major films at this year's Cannes film festival doesn't mean New Zealand won't be on viewers' minds.
Stuntwoman-turned-action-star Zoe Bell is the most prominent Kiwi to feature at next week's iconic event - she stars in Quentin Tarantino's rejigged slasher film Death Proof. The statuesque stuntwoman, who used to take Lucy Lawless' knocks in Xena: Warrior Princess, is likely to join co-star Rosario Dawson and Tarantino at the festival in the South of France.
Death Proof began as part of the double feature Grindhouse, with fellow director Robert Rodriquez. But after bombing at the United States box office, Tarantino recut and lengthened his contribution to take to Cannes.
Bell plays herself in the film, which is about four women working on the movie set of their next big hit. All seems to be going well until a psychotic killer begins to stalk them.
Cue lifelike scenes of Bell clinging to a car bonnet as the vehicle hurtles down the road.
Tarantino cast Bell after she worked as Uma Thurman's body double on his film Kill Bill, having been impressed by her onscreen qualities and "sweet and effervescent" personality.
Bell also featured in Amanda Micheli's documentary, Double Dare in 2004, about her time on Xena.
